Turbine type engine



Feb.,27, 1945. E. H wRlvGHT 2,370,217

TURBINE TYPE ENGINE Filed sept. 22, 1941 INVENTOR ELM/00 #wma/4T ATTORNEY 4. SheetsSheet l Feb. 27, 1945.

TURBINE TYPE ENGINE Filed sept. 22, 1941 '4 sheets-sheet 2 v ATTORNEY E. H. WRIGHT v 2,370,217

Feb. 27, 1945.

E. H. WRIGHT TURBINE TYPE ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 22, 1941 INVENTOR E L1A/000 H. tf1/@16H7 gw Il lllHllll 1| l1 nu .u `nl lll/Illlllill ATTORNEY Feb. 27, 1945. E, H. WRlGHT 2,370,217

TURBINE TYPE ENGINE Filed Sept. 22, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR flu/Q00 h. Me/GHT d @www ATTORNEY scribed Patented F eb. 27, 1945 lfUNlTl-:D STATES PATENTv OFFICE TURBINE ENGINE Elwood n. wright, Tacoma, wash.

Application September 22, 1941, Serial No. 411,859

This invention relates to improvements 'in in,

ternal combustion engines, and has for its principal object toprovide an improved, turbine type of engine, equipped with a plurality of combustion chambers, circumferentially thereof and I,

within which fuel charges may be compressed, and ignited in predetermined order and in synchronism with the movement of a rotor,.an d the v force of the ignited charge directed against the Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rotor and associated parts, shown iiiv disassembled relationship for better illustration. 4

Fig. 7 is a detail of a part of the rotor structure', showing the pivotally mounted impeller vane.

Fig. 8 is a cross section online 8-8 'in Fig. '7, illustrating a detail of the mounting of the pivoted impeller vane.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view, showing a detail of the rotor construction.

Referring more in detail to the drawings--v In its present "form of constructiomthe enginev embodied by this invention comprises a cylindrical enclosing housing i, closed at one end by a flat wall 2, here indicated as being integral with `the cylindrical-tbody. and closed at its other end by a removably applied wall 3, which may be held j by bolts or other suitable means. Coaxially of the cylindrical housing, and extending rotatably 20 through the end walls 2 and 3, is theengine drive 1t is a further object of this invention to provide an 'engine 0f the above characterV wherein provision -is made for automatic self-sealingof the joints between the combustion chambers and other relatively stationary parts, and the-walls of the driven rotor to insure against any leakage -or loss of eiliciency resultingltherefrom, yet without causing any undue drag on the rotor.

Another object of the invention is4 to provide an engine of simplejoonstruction, with few parts, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Still further objects ofthe invention reside in ,shaft 4. This shaft is functionally ia.n;i'rotatablyv supported at opposite ends of the engine, in antifriction bearings, designated at 5 and 5 and which could be of any suitable kind otherthariA 25 shown. 'I'hese bearings, as here shown, are tted the details of constructionof parts comprised inv the engine. in .their combination. 'and in their 35 an annular body l0 in the nature of a cylindrical mode of operation. as will hereinaftervbe fully de- In these and other objects of the invention, Ijhave provided the improved details of co tion, the preferred forms of which are illustratedin-the accompanying drawings, wherev v several compressor-cylinders with a crank of the 50 engine drive shaft.

F18. 4 is a cross sectional-view taken on the line 4-4 inFlg. 2.

Fis. s isjan edge view-ofthe rotor manner showing theoii'set bands of impeller to the 'spacing ci theiend wenst and 3 ofthehousing to t snugly between them. Also, the

Ain housings 6 'and C' formed o'n the outside faces 1 of the wall plates 2 and S'about the openings through whichthe shaft lpasses.

Keyed on the shaft 4 withinthe housing I is 3 a rotor assembly, 'comprising a disk-like body'l .equipped with an integral hub 'l' that' receivesY the shaft and within which the shaft is keyed. This diskengages ilatlyvagainst the wallplate 3, and about the peripheralportion of the -disk is ring. 'Ihis ring is of substantial thickness, radi, f

ally of the engine, antidroga width corresponding ring has diametrically disposed and' inwardly di'- rected anges Ii-'I I' at one end adapted to register within correspondingly shaped sockets yor recessesv l2-I2' at the periphery of the disk 1 to provide an interlocked driving connection that causes the parts Il and fl to rotate together.

to the interior cylindrical surfaceof the housing I in a gas-tight joint, and to'prevent the possible binding 'of thesetwo surfaces that might be due to the effects of high temperature inthe engine, the\ring Il is divided into two or more segments,

- separated at the loose joints as indicated at I3 u ring n are truly cylindrical. andiocntea within in Figs. 4 and 6, I Both the interior and exterior surfaces of the The outer surface of the rotor ring il is sited the ring. and tted to its interior 'surface is a nonrotating ring-like member I formed with a truly cylindrical outer surface and having a conically tapered interior surface I5'. This member I5 likewise is divided into a plurality of segments, as designated by the joints I4 in Fig. 6, and the ring is held against rotation in the housing by means of studs I5 extending .thereon and passing outwardly through holes I1 in the housing end wall 2, as noted in Fig. 2.

Disposed within the ring-like member I5 is' a spreader ring 20 having an exterior conically tapered surface fitted to the interipr surface of the ring-like member I5. Fixed in the ring 20 are bolts 2| which extend therefrom, parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, and passing outwardly and slidably through holes 22 in the end wall 2. Surrounding the outer end portions of these bolts, are coiled springs 23 held under compression between the wall 2 and by nuts 24 threaded on the outer ends of the bolts. The function of these` springs is to yieldingly pull the ring 20 outwardly or toward'wall 2, thus to cause the exertion of spreading pressure against the inside surfaces of' under all conditions.

Mounted on the casing I, at regularly spaced intervals, here shown to be intervals of 90, are

spacing about the drive shaft, radially thereof and have open inner ends, and each is equipped with a piston 33. The several pistons are operatively connected by rods 34 with a crank throw 35 of the drive shaft 4 adjacent the outside of the wall3.

Each compressor cylinder has an outlet passage 36 leading from its outer end to the port 21 of the corresponding combustion chamber 25, and each passage is equipped with a poppet valve 38 as best noted in Fig. 2. The .valve head in each chamber, is mounted on a valve rod.39 that is slidable in a bushing 40 and extends to the side of the engine beyond the cylinders. Coiled springs 4I surround thev outer end portions of the rods, and bear against seats 42 to yieldingly hold the valves closed. Each valve is designed to be opened by a rocker lever 44 which is pivoted on the Wall of the corresponding cylinder as at 45, arid has its inner end equipped with a tion resides in the novel and effective way in which the force of ignited fuel charges is utilized for driving the rotor. This is accomplished by and through thev following means:

Opening from each explosion chamber 25, in a direction 'tangentially inclined with respect to the rotor ring I0, is a direct passage 50 through which the combusting gas'es of any ignited fuel charge escape from the explosion chamber to the rotor. Formed in the rotor ring I0, in' position for registeringalinement with the several passages 50, is a band of impeller vanes 5I spaced apart by passages 52 which open directly through the ring. This particular band of varies and passages extends through an arc of 180 only.

Offset from the semi-circular band of passages in the axial direction of the rotor by extending about the ring I0 to its full circumference, is a second band of impeller vanes 5Ia, which likewise are spaced apart by passages 52a; it being understood that in each of the bands, the impeller vanes are equally spaced apart.

Each vane in the rotor has an arcuately concaved inner face 54, so directed or faced that in the rotation of the ring I0, this face will be directly impinged by the force of `gas delivered from the chamber 25 through the passages 50. The opposite face 55 of each vane is quite convex. The passages 52 are all alike in size and direction relative to the axis of the ring, and each passage, due to the shape of the faces of the Yvanes, forms a sort of reverse bend, as will be The four cylinders are arranged in symmetrical roller 46 disposed for actuation by a cam 41 on readily understood by inspection of Figs. 4 and 7.

Formed in the ring-like member I5 'at intervals corresponding to the angular spacing of the chamber 25, and directly in radial alinement with the inner ends of the passages 5U, as seen in Fig. 7, are passages 56, of U-shape, forming reverse bends with the opposite ends ofthe passages, relatively offset to aline themselves respectively with the planes of the two bands of passages in the rotor ring I0. Thus, one end of each of the passages 55 will at all times be in registration with the circumferential band of varies 5Ia and passages 52a, while the other end will periodically register with the semi-circular band of vanes 5I and passages 52 in accordance with the rotation of the rotor ring I0. Thus, it

.will be understood that the rotating ring III, due

place during the interval that the passage 5I) for that cylinder is' closed. IgnitionA of the charge will take place just as the first passage 52 of the semi-circular band of passages comes into registration With the psage 50.

By referring again to Fig. 4, it will be obyserved also that somewhat advanced, ahead of each of the passages 5G in the ring-like member I5, are the reverse bend passages 51, which are f like the passages 53 in direction and size, except that both ends of each of these passages is in reg.

l Y y2,370,221?

istering alinement with the continuous band of passages and vanes of the rotor member.

It will be mentioned also that the spacing of the open ends of the passagesI 56 and 51 equals the spacing of alternate passages of the rotor ring I0. It is also shown in Fig. 4, that just beyond each of the explosion chambers 25, a block 15 is fixed on the housing. In each` block there is a passage 16 of a return bend form, having its two ends opening directly toward the outside face of the housing I, and in registering communication with inclined passages 11 and 18. Thesev latter passages open entirely throughthe housing wall, and are inclined in the direction of rotation of the rotor with their inner ends alined with the plane of the continuous band of ports 52a of the rotor ring I0, and are so spaced vthatthey will register with alternate passages 52a of the rotor. I

In advance of the passages 11 and 18 of each block 15 is another similarly inclined passage 80 which opens to the outside of the block as an exhaust port. At its inner end, it communicates with a passage 8l through the vhousing wall,

which latter passage registers with the plane of the continuous band of passages of the rotor, and is spaced forwardly of the inner end of the passage 18 so that these passages register with alternate passages through the rotor.

With the parts and passages so formed, it will be understood that an expanding, combusting fuel charge, after ignition in any explosion chamber .25, will be directed through the outlet passage 50 against the vanes 5| of the semi-circular band of passages, to impart rotary motion to the rotor. This expanding charge will continue, passing through the passages 52, between the vanes, into the corresponding return bend passage 56, and will then be directed outwardly Iagainst the vanes 52a'in the continuous band of vanes and will again exert driving energy against the rotor. After passing through the rotor 'the second time, the expanding fuel charge will be directed outwardly through a passage 11, into the return bend 16 in the block-15, then again 'inwardly through a passage 18, again against the impeller tended end of the pin and bears against a wall of the pocket in such manner as to yieldingiy hold the vane in position that the outer end surface will operate as a closure for the passage 50 at the instant the fuel charge is ignited. However, the force ofthe ,ignited charge will rock the vane on its pivot mounting to the open position as shown in dotted lines, andthe force can be expended through the adjacent passage 52 into the passage 56.

Engines of this kind may be made in various sizes, according to requirements,4 and, as previously stated, the rotor may be equipped with two or more of the bands of impeller vanes, as desired to lsuit any particular purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what Iv A a rotor fixed on the shaft for driving it and having a cylindrical angerevolubly fitted to the casing wall and formed with a circumferentially directed band of impeller vanes and Vpassages invanes 52a, into the passage 51, thence outwardly,

passing the third time against impeller vanes 52a` der compression during the initial igniting period, and therefore the flrst impeller vanein the semi-circular series of vanes 52 is of a particular design and mounting, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 7 and 8. Thisvane is pivotally-supported adiacent its outer end by a pivot pin 80, and has a flat shoulder 9| adapted to lie iiush with the circumference of the ring I0. The pivot pin 90 is xed to the vane and extends rotatably within bearings of the ring with one end contained within a. pocket 92. as shown in Fig. 8, where a coiled spring 93 isaiiixed to this extermediate the vanes, a segmental annular memberxed against rotation in the housing and fitted to the inside of the flange, means for expanding the segmental memberA -to yieldinglyi press its parts into close joining contact with the cylindrical iiange, a plurality of combustion chambers, means for the synchronous admission of fuel-charges thereto, means for a successive exploding of the charges in the chambers, a dis charge passage from each chamber, through the casing wall and directed tangentially against the band of impeller vanes; said segmental member having return passages therein corresponding to the several cylinders, with opposite endsA adapted A to register with the band of impeller passages of the rotor flange for the redirecting of combusting fuel charges outwardly through the flange after the initial delivery to impart a second driving impulse to the rotor.

2. An engine of the character described com-f prising a casing, a rotor shaft revolubly mounted in the casing, a rtor fixed against relative rotation on the shaft and having a cylindrical ilange tted revolubly in the casing and.

formed with a series of laterally spaced circumferentially directed bands of impeller vanes and with passages through the flange between` the vanes; the first of the series of bands of impellers being extended only partially about the cylinder, a segmentalmember fixed against rotation in the casing and fitted. to the inside of the cylindrical ange, means for applying a yielding outward i pressure against the segmental members to eiect' charges therein and means for ignitingthe nLwooD H, WRIGHT.. 

